Process and system for producing power.



G. A. SELLON.

PROCESS AND SYSTEM FQR PRODUCING POWER. APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 7, 1913.

1,103,440. Patented July 14,1914,

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY G. A. SELLON.

PROCESS AND SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING POWER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, 1913.

Patented July 14, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES ATTO R N EY G. A. SBLLO'N.

PROCESS AND SYSTEM FOR PRODUGING'POWER.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 7, 1913. 1, 1 03,440. Patented July 14, 1914.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3-v '4 I 'lllllllllllllllllllllnVII!!! a @s P i w w I tWITNESS ES I A CDZLWQQ.

ATTO R N EY UNITED sraa ns PATENT orrion I CHARLES A. SELLON, 0FALLIANGE, OHIO.

PROCESS AND SYSTEM son PRODUCING POWER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. SnLLoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Alliance, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Proces's of and System for Producing Power, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention has refecnce to improve-- ments in the process of andsystem for producing ower and its object is to utilize heat caused ycompressing air to raise the temperature of water or other liquid to apoint where it will assume a condition permitting the utilization of thepower so generated, and also to use the expansive force of thecompressed air for power and other purposes.

The invention consists in compressing air to a comparatively highdegree, whereby its temperature is raised to a considerable extent andthe hotair is then passed first through a superheater, and then throughwater to raise the temperature of the water to the steaming point, andto superheat the steam so generated, while from the water container theair which is stili hot, though not so hot as when it leaves thecompressor, is caused to travel in heat traversing relation to airapproaching the compressor, so that a proportion of the heat of thestill hot or warm air under compression is transmitted to the air aboutto be compressed, thus cooling the compressed air and warming therelatively uncompressed air as it approaches the compressor, so that theinitial temperature of the air before itreaches the compressor is raisedand consequently the temperature of the air being compressed is raisedmore than it would be if not initially heated. After passing thetransfer where the compressed air loses part of its heat and such heatis, transferred to the air about to be compressed, the coo-ledcompressed air is led through an expanding apparatus where the coolcompressed air is allowed to expand, thus greatly reducing itstemperature and the then cold air may be utilized for refrigeratingpurposes, after which the air is directed through the transfer back tothe compressor. The expander may bein the form of an air engine and maybe employed to assist in the primary compression of the air.

The compressor may be, and preferably is driven by a steam enginereceiving steam from an ordinary boiler or other steam Specification ofI Letters Patent. Application filed November '7 1913. Serial No.799,788.

Patented July 14-, 19140 generator and the exhaust steam may also bedirected throu h the transfer to assist in the {preheating of theair fedinto the compressor. Sued steam as lliity be generated ;by the heat ofthe compressed air may dir cted to the steam engine to F 1g it and soeconomize the 5 'upoi the primary steam generator or V. supplying thesteam engine with steam.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detaiied description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with thefurther understanding that. while the drawings show a practicalembodiment of the invention, the latter is not confined to any strictconformity with the showing of the drawings, but may be changed andmodified so long as such changes and modifications mark no materialdeparture from the salient features of the invention.

in the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view with some parts in section, ofa plant or installation for the practice of the present invention, theplant being more or less schematically displayed. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section through the secondary boiler and through a portionof the superheater. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Figs.4.- to 9 are views most-1y in section of details of construction of theplant.

In the drawings there is shown a boiler 1 which may be taken asindicative of any suitable steam generator capable of produc ingsutiicientsteam for the purposes of the present lnvention. Leading fromthe boiler is a steam pipe 2 including a valve 3 and serving to conductsteam to a steam engine 4 of any suitable type, and this engine isconnected by a belt 5 to a compressor 6, and said compressor may also beof any suitable type. The compressor is provided with a compressorcylinder 7 which may be con-. sidered as provided with the usual coolingjacket. There is also provided another container 8 which may in generalfollow the lines of an ordinary steam boiler except that no heatingfurnace is provided. The container 8 is designed to contain a liquidwhich may be raised to the gaseous or vaporous state by comparativelymoderate temperature, and such liquid is best typified by water, whichfor practical purposes is advantageous over any other liquid, whereforeto ered that the container 8 is supplied with' a suitable quantity ofwater without necessarily limiting the practice of the invention to sucharticular liquid, and-it is for this reason that the container 8 may andwill hereinafter be termed a boiler. Interior walls or heads 9, 10,respectively, are provided for the boiler 8 and these heads or walls arelocated near op osite exterior heads 11, 12, thus defining c ambers 1314 at opposite ends of the boiler. Extending from the head 9 to the head10 is a series of pipes opening at their ends into the respectivechambers 13 and 14 and closed to the main body of the boiler between theheads 9 and 10. These pipes 15, of which a portion of one is shown inFigs. 6 and 7 the latter being a cross section of the structure shown inFig. 6, are each divided into two parts by an interior longitudinal wall16 on o posite sides of which are inclined bafiles 1? so that a fluidtraversin the pipe 15 is diverted against the walls 0% the pi e tofacilitate heat interchange. The bafll ds are preferably inclined to thevertical and the wall or web 16 is preferably placed up right. Moreover,each pipe or fiue 15 at the outlet end is provided with a plug 18 inwhich there is formed a central passage 19 exganding toward the flue.The bafiles 17 an the plug 18 in each flue contribute to the equitabledistribution to the flues of fluid traversing them.

The chamber 14 of the boiler 8 is connected by a pipe 20 with an endchamber 21 in another boiler-like vessel 22, which may be constructed insubstantially all resp'ects, except as hereinafter descri d, like theboiler 8 and the vessel 22 has fiues 23 extending therethrough, and bothsaid vesscl 22 and the boiler 8 may have a covering 24 of heatinsulating material. The vessel 22 because of its purpose willhereinafter be called a superheater and the reason for this term willappear farther on.

The boiler 8 is provided with a steam dome 24" and this is connected bya pipe 25 with a low point, say, through the bottom of the superheater22, where it opens into the body portion of the superheater traversed bythe fiues 23. At the other end from the point of entrance of the pipe 25the superheater is provided with a dome 26 connected by a. pipe 27 tothe intake of the steam engine 4 and this pipe 27 is provided with acontrolling valve 28.

The outgoing side of the compressor cylinder 7 is connected by a pipe 29to that end chamber of the superheater remote fro the chamber 21, andthat end of the boiler 8 containing the chamber 13 has connected theretoa battery of pipes 30 leading into a conduit 31 which maybe 'sunk intothe ground or suitably rotected against the escape of heat by ra iation.The pipes 30 connect to a battery of pipes 32 which may be constructedlike the fiues 15 already described, and these pipes lead into a chamberat the other end of the conduit 31 where they all connect in multiple toa pipe 33 in turn leading to an expander 34 from which the expanded airis dir cted by a pipe 35 to a refrigerating apparatus 36, which becauseit may be of ordinary construction, is not shown in detail, but merelyindicated in the drawings. The expander 34 may take the form, and in thedrawings is indicated in the form of an air engine connected by a belt37 to the drive shaft of the engine 4.

The refrigerating apparatus 36 is connected on the discharge side to apipe 38 leading into the conduit 31 at the end thereof remote from thatentered by the pipes 30, and near the point where the pipes 30 enter inipe 39 is connected to the conduit 31, and this pipe leads to the intakeof the compressor 6.

The cooling jacket of the cylinder 7 of the compressor 6 is connected bypipes 40, 41 to the boiler 8 and the exhaust side of the steam engine 4is connected by a pipe 42 to another pipe 43 leading through the conduit31 and finally exhausting by way of an outlet pipe 44 at the other endof the conduit. The pipe 42 includes a valve 45 by means of which theexhaust steam may be directed through the conduit 31 or directly to theair before reaching the conduit.

There is more or less condensation in the conduit or transfer 31, andthis is led by a pipe 46 tov a trap 47. The pipe 46 leads into a pit 48and there opens into a water trap 49 suspended by a link 50 on one endof a lever 51 carrying an adjustable weight 52. The trap 49 is providedwith an outlet pipe 53 leading upwardly and including a controllingvalve 54. The upper end of the pipe 53 carries a globular member 55provided with an outlet spout 56, and this globular member is arrangedto travel along a fixed valve member 57 which may be carried by asupport 58 over the pit 48, the arrangement being such that when asufficient amount of water shall accumulate within the water trap 49 theWeight 52 will be ovcrbalanced thus moving the globular member 55 alongthe fixed valve member 57 so as to carry a seat 59 within the globularmember away from the lower end of the fixed valve member 57, therebyopening the upper end of the pipe 53 to communicate with the outletspout 56 when pressure within the water trap will force any accumulatedwater out through the spout 56 until the weight of the Water within thetrap is over-balanced by the adjustable weight 52, in which case thevalve seat 59 is again brought into engagement with the fixed valvemember 56.

In order to maintain the speed of the expander 34 constant undervariations in presi roeyreo sure in the compressed air system, it isprovidedwith a governor' shown in detail in Fig. 9. lFhe expander ispreferably provided with a Corliss valve gear indicated at 34*, and thisvalve gear has governor rods 60 connected respectively to the oppositeends of the angle end 61 of a lever 62 fulcrumed in a bracket 63 whichmay be fast to the ex pander 3d. The longer arm of the lever 62 isnotched as at 64 or may be otherwise formed to carry an adjustableweight 65. A dash pot 66 is connected to thelever 62 by a rod 67 toprevent overridin of the lever. The lever 62 is also connects to one endof a rod 68 at the other end of which is a piston 69 in a cylinder 70connected to the pipe 33. Any variation of pressure in the pipe 33 actsupon the piston 69 and through it upon the lever 62 to regulate thevalve gear 3 in a manner to maintain the speed of the ex panderconstant.

The process is practised as follows: Steam is generated in the boiler 1to a suitable pres-.

sure and is conducted by the pipe 2 to the engine i, the flow of steamthrough the pipe 2 being under the control of the valve 3. The steamsupply causes the actuation of the engine i and this engine drives thecompressor 6 through the intermediary of the belt 5. This causes air tobe compressed and the temperature of the air is correspondingly raised;as is well known. The hot air is conducted through the pipe 29 into thesuperheatcr 22 and in traveling through the superheater it passes inmultiple through the tines 23, and then passes to and through the tines15 of the boiler 8. The interior of the boiler 8 contains a suitablesupply of water which may be taken as typical of any suitable liquid,and the hot air in passing through the flues 15 loses some of its heatwhich is transferred to water. The air although somewhat cooler thanwhen leaving the compressor, is still hot, and flows by way of the ipes30 through the pipes 32 of the transfor and ultimately reaches the pipe33 and by way of the latter is directed to the expander or air engine 34where it is allowed to perform work because of its expansion, and thepower so generated is returned to the power shaft of the steam engine ito assist the latter in driving the compressor. The expanded air nowvery cold is directed through the refrigerator or ice machine 36 and thecold air leaving the refrigerating apparatus isco-nducted by way of thepipe 38 into the transfer 31 at the compressed air outlet end thereof.The cold air travels through the transfer 31 in contact with the pipes32 carrying hot compressed air, and cools such air bythe transfer ofheat from the hot air to the cold air surrounding the pipes 32 so thatby the time the cold air reaches the pipe 39 it has become noticeablywarm and this warm air is directed by the pipe 39 to the intake of'thecompressor wherefore the air entering the compressor is preheated and istherefore noticeably hotter when compressed than would be the case withatmospheric or relatively cold air.

To aid in heatin the air in the transfer the exhaust steam rrom theengine may be directed through the transfer by the pipes 42 and 43,finally escaping to the atmosphere through the exhaust pipe 44:, so thatwhat heat there may be in the exhaust steam is utilized to an extent inthe preheating of the air fed'to the compressor. Now, the air leavingthe compressor contains a large number of heat units per volume, andthis air ultimately raises the water in the boiler 8 to the steamingpoint, and the steam so generated is carried by the pipe 25 into thesuperheater 22 where it'is acted upon by the hot portion of thecompressed air and the steam becomes superheated, and this steam may bedirected to the engine 4L- to assist the steam supply from the boiler land therefore requiring a'smaller demand upon the boiler than would isthe case if the compressed air were simply cooled without the saving orutilization of the heat units ordinarily lost when compressed air iscoo-led preparatory to passing through the refrigerating machine.Moreover, the expander also utilizes the energy of the air which hasheretofore been lost or wasted, so that some of tne heretofore lostenergy is returned to the compressor in the shape of driving powerassisting the engine 4 and to a commensurate extent lowering the demandfor steam upon the boiler 1.

By the present invention a considerable proportion of energy heretoforelost in refrige ing plants in the preliminary cooling or the compressedfluid is recovered and returned to the prime mover, so that the actualamount of energy demanded upon the prime source of energy, namely, theboiler, is more nearly in accordance with the energy demanoed by therefrigerating machineinstead of representing several times such energy.

Air has been taken as an example of the fluid which may be utilized inthe system, but it will be understood that any other suitable fluid maybe employed, and the recovery of heretofore lost ienergy by the processof the present invention and the system for utilizing it is more thansufficient to pay for the installation and its operation, together withthe incidental losses due to friction, radiation and the like.

l Vitn respect to loss of energy by radiation it will be understood thatwherever parts are liable to radiation losses heat insulating coveringsare provided. if the recovered energy is desired for other purposes,then instead of utilizing the recovered energy to reduce the demand uponthe ings.

boiler 1, the power represented by steam generated in the boiler 8 andby the expansion of air in the expander 34 may be directed otherwisethan indicated in the draw- In the claims the terms air and'water are tobe understood as including other gases or liquids suitable for thepurpose.

What is claimed is':- V

1. The process of producing and utilizing power which consists inraising the temperature of air by compressing it, then passing the hotcompressed air through water to raise the temperature of the latter,then causing the air to expand and utilizing the lowered temperaturethereby produced for refrigerating purposes, and returning the expandedair to the point of compression and at 'the same time preheating theexpanded air by heat transference from the compressed air. a

2. The process of producing and utilizing power, which consists inraising the temperature of air by compressing it, converting a portionof the heat so obtained into power by passing the hot air into heatingrelation to water, then causing the air to expand and utilizing thelowered temperature for refrigerating purposes and returning theexpanded air to the point of com-' pression in heat transferringrelation to the heated air before expansion.

3. The process of producing and utilizing power, which consists inralsing the temperature of air by compressing it, converting a portionof the heat so obtained into power by passing the hot air into heatingrelation to water, then causing the air to expand and utilizing thelowered temperature for refrigerating purposes, returning the expandedair to the point of compression in heat transferring relation to theheated air before expansion, and utilizing the expansion of the air forthe generation of power other than refrigeration.

4:. The process of producing and conserving power, which consists inraising the tem- [perature of air by compressing it, then passing thehot compressed air through water to raise the temperature of the latter,then carrying the compressed air through an air motor to utilizemechanical energy represented by the expansion, then passing theexpanded air through refrigerating appa-- ratus, and finally returningthe expanded air to the point of compression in heat transferringrelation to the hot air before expansion to preheat the expanded air.

5. The process of producing and conserving power, which consists inraising the temperature of air by compressing it, then passing the hotcompressed air through water to raise the temperature of thelatter,'then carrying the compressed air through an air motor to utilizemechanical energy represented by the expansion, then passing theexpanded air through refrigerating ap aratus, and finally returning theexpande air to the point of com ression in heat transferring relation tothe Bot air before expansion to preheat the expanded air, the energyrepresented by'the'raising of the temperature of the water and by themechanical action of the expanding air being utilized to assist in theinitial compression of the air. 7 6. The process of producing powerwhich consists in raising the temperature of air by compression, thenpassin the hot compressed air in a plurality o streams through watertoraise thetemperature of the latter, so and then utilizing the hot airafter passing through the water to preheat air passing to thecompressor.

7. The process of producing and conserving power, which consists inraising the temperature of air by compression, utilizing a, portion ofthe heat of the compressed air to heat water for the production ofsteam, utilizing a portion of the heat remaining in the compressed airto preheat air passing to the compressor, and utilizing the energy ofthe steam'produced by the heating of the water. v

8, The'process of producing power, which consists in compressing air toheat it, utilizing'a portion of the heat so produced to convert waterinto steam, causing the compressed air to expand, and utilizing theeffect thereof, and finally directing the expanded air into heatabsorbing relation to the heated air before expansion for theutilization of a portion of the heat of the heated air to preheat theexpanded air on its return to the compressor.

9. The process of producing power, which consists in raising thetemperature of air by compression, utilizing a portion of the heat ofcompression for converting water into steam for the utilization of itspower, causing an expansion of the compressed air and utilizing thepower developed thereby, and returning the expanded air to thecompressor in heat transferring relation to the compressed air afterheating the water to cool the compressed air and preheat the expand edair passing to the compressor.

'10. The process of producing power, which consists in compressing airto raise its temperature, utilizing a portion of the energy representedby the heated compressed air for useful work and thereby cooling theair, expanding the compressed, air and utilizing a portion of the energyso developed for useful work, utilizing the expanded air forrefrigerating purposes, and returning the ex panded air to the point ofcompression and utilizing a portion of the heat of the compressed airfor preheating the expanded air.

11. The process of producing power, which consists in compressing air toraise its temperature, converting a portiOn of the energy represented bythe compressed air .in a boiler to generate steam, and utilizing thesteam for useful work, passing the heated compressed air after actingupon the wa-" ter throu h a heat transfer, causing the compresse air toexpand for useful work and refrigeration, and returning the expanded airthrough the heat transfer tothe compressor to heat the air beforecompres- $1011.

13. The rocess of producing power, which conslsts in compressing air toincrease its temperature, utilizing a portion of the heat so producedfor heating the water in a boiler to generate steam, utilizing the steamso produced for assisting in the initial compressing of the air, passingthe heated compressed air after acting upon the water through a heattransfer, causing an expansion of the compressed air, converting aportion of the energy so produced for assisting in the initialcompression of the air, utilizing the energy represented by the expandedair and not otherwise utilized for useful work, and returning theexpanded air to the compressor through the heat transfer.

14. The process of producing power, which consists in compressing air toincrease its temperature, utilizing a portion of the heat so producedfor heating water in a boiler to generate steam, and also utilizing aportion of such heat topreheat steam so generated, utilizing the steamfor useful work, passing the heated compressed air after acting upon thewater through a heat transfer, causing an expansion of the air afterpassing through the'heat transfer for the production of mechanicalmotion, utilizing the energy of the expanded air not utilized for theproduction of mechanical motion for the production of othertuseful work,and returning the. ex anded air through the heat transfer and rom thenceto the compressor. I

15. A system for the production and conservation of power, whichconsists of a. steam generator, a steam engine arranged for actuationthereby, an air compressor arranged for actuation by the steam engine, aboiler and superheater connected to the outlet side of the aircompressor for the production of steam and the superheating thereof, aheat transfer receiving the compressed air after leaving the boiler, anair engine or expander receiving the compressed air after leaving thetransfer, means for utilizing the expanded air after leaving the airengine, and means for returnin the expanded air through the heat transer to the intake of the compressor.

16. A system for the production and conservation of power, com rising asteam boiler, a steam engine fe thereby, an air compressor driven by thesteam engine, a superheater and steam boiler connected to the outlet ofthe compressor in the order named, a heat transfer receiving compressedair after passing through the superheater and boiler, an air engine orexpander receiving the compressed air after leaving the transfer, andconnected to the steam engine for assisting the latter, and arefrigerating apparatus connected to the expander for the utilization ofthe lower temperature proair after passing through the superheater andboiler, an air en ne or expander receivin the compresse air afterleaving the trans er, and connected to the steam engine for assistingthe latter, and a refrigerating apparatus connected to theexpander forthe utilization of the low temperature produced by the ex the expan edair to the compressor through the transfer, and means for directingsteam produced by the hot air to the steam engine to assist in theactuation thereof, the system also including means for directing exhauststeam from the steam engine through the heat transfer-in the samedirection as the passage of heated air therethrough.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. CHARLES A. SELLON.

Witnesses:

L. W. Jones,

J. C. HUBBARD.

nded air, means for returning

